Welcome to Xeriscape Colorado!

---

Xeriscape™ Colorado What Is Xeriscape? Demo Gardens Upcoming Events Resources & Reference Articles   © Copyright 2005 v.9.8.05 Xeriscape Colorado is a program of Colorado WaterWise Council P.O. Box 40202 Denver, CO 80204-0202 303-893-2992 xeriscape@coloradowaterwise.org www.coloradowaterwise.org   Xeriscape™ and the Xeriscape logo are trademarks of Denver Water.

Xeriscape: Efficient Irrigation Once you've installed a Xeriscape, it's important to water it correctly. While new plants are getting their roots well-established, a Xeriscape will probably use the same amount of water as the grass you replaced. Once established, you can cut back on the amount of water. No matter how much water your landscape needs, it's important to apply the water efficiently. Efficient irrigation can be done either with a hose-end sprinkler or with an automatic sprinkler system. The keys to either method are: Keep water close to the ground. Avoid the oscillating type of sprinkler that sends water high into the air. Stationary sprinkler heads that keep the water fairly low or sprinklers that move horizontally from side to side (like rotary heads) are less prone to evaporation. Drip, micro-sprays or bubbler emitters are the most efficient for watering flowers, shrubs and trees. Know how much water your sprinkler puts out in a given amount of time so you can calculate how long to water for each zone. The easiest way to measure sprinkler output is to place three identical empty cans at various distances from the sprinkler within a given zone. Turn the sprinkler on for 15 minutes, and then turn it off and pour the collected water into one can. With a ruler, measure the depth of water and divide by 3 (the number of cans used). Your sprinkler delivers that much water in 15 minutes. Design your sprinkler system (or plan your hose placement) so that a given zone or hose placement waters plants with similar watering requirements. Don't try to water low and moderate-water-requiring plants at the same time -- you'll end up either overwatering some plants or underwatering others. If you have an automatic sprinkler system, change the watering times per zone at least once a month to reflect the different water requirements. Plants need more applied irrigation in the heat of the summer than in the spring or fall. Check your system regularly for leaks, broken or misaligned heads, and make repairs promptly. Written by Cris Call, CWWC member and Conservation Specialist for Denver Water   • Xeriscape Colorado Home • What Is Xeriscape? • Demo Gardens   • Upcoming Events • Resources & Reference • Articles